This invention relates to containers. More particularly, this invention relates to containers useful for holding joint compound and similar material that can be mixed within the container and scooped therefrom for application with an applicator such as a taping knife or trowel. Even more particularly, this invention relates to double bay containers suitable for retaining in a second bay material spilled over the edge of a first bay as it is scooped therefrom.
Containers for joint compound are well known. Generally, these containers are semi-cylindrica or parallelepiped, elongated troughs with closed ends. They are of a length to accommodate the applicator tool. They are composed of a material that makes them of sufficiently light weight to be held comfortably in one hand while filled with a supply of working material which is being applied with an applicator held in the other hand. This invention addresses
Typical of such devices is the container disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,428. This open topped container has a single chamber that features an enclosing wall of continuous, smooth curvature that allows the applicator to maintain contact with this wall throughout the action of scooping material from the chamber. The container also features a contoured grip portion on the outside of the container to facilitate maintaining a grip on the loaded container. The grip portion also permits the container to be rested on a surface without tipping over.
Such devices do not provide means by which material can be scooped from the container, scraping the applicator against the upper edge of the container to remove excess material, particularly at the ends of the applicator, without carrying some of the material over the scraping edge. The material carried over the edge is not only is lost to the process but becomes a problem of spilled material. Such devices also tend to excessively tire the hand and arm that support them because the hand is required to clamp the container thereby doing more work than necessary in support and manipulation of the container.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a hand-held, double bay container suitable for use in the application of joint compound or similar material. It is another object of this invention to provide means for recovering material within a second bay as it is scooped from a first bay. It is a further object of this invention to provide a double bay container that rests comfortably on the forearm of a user. It is another object of this invention to provide a double bay container that can be rested on a surface without tipping over. It is yet another object of this invention to provide a double bay container ergonomically designed to balance on the forearm and to reduce movement of the wrist thereby reducing fatigue of the user. It is still another object of the invention to provide a liner for a double bay container to thereby facilitate the cleaning of the container.
For the purposes of this invention the article set out in this disclosure will be defined as a xe2x80x9ccontainerxe2x80x9d. The open, holding chambers or xe2x80x9cbaysxe2x80x9d of the container will be defined as xe2x80x9creceptaclesxe2x80x9d.